NJN News; 08/16/1989 Wednesday; Dub

Major funding for New Jersey Network News is provided by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, first fidelity bank and Jersey Central Power and Light. It's been smooth sailing for commuters on Interstate 78 today. Four lanes of the highway opened as promised this morning. The only difficulty seems to be following the detour signs to get there. Meanwhile, the battle over the garbage that sits under 78 has just begun. Essex County has filed suit against the DEP. Officials say that trash is worth millions in fees.

Trish to Gasperous reports. At 6am, Route 78 was partially back in business again. After declaring a section of the closed highway safe for travel, the Department of Transportation created two lanes going east and two going west. But it seemed that commuters were gun shy, rush hour was extremely light. And while travelers were having a smooth time of it, state and county officials are having a rocky time battling each other for the right to remove the mounds of garbage which are still beneath the highway. The DEP in an emergency order has already accepted bids to remove the trash and that removal should begin on Monday. Within a new twist today, Essex County executive Nicholas Amato, along with the city of Newark, filed suit against the DEP, saying that if the DEP is allowed to remove the trash, they're violating their own regulations. It's the county's job to remove the trash and collect the fee that goes along with it. The DEP was in court twice trying to get a hubby cycling to comply with the waste law order.

And now they're going to circumvent their own order. I think that's inappropriate, I think it's wrong, and I think it's environmentally unsound. The way trash disposal is supposed to happen here in Essex County is that after the garbage is collected from the 22 municipalities, it's brought here to one of the trash transfer stations. Here it's examined to make sure it's not medical or hazardous waste, then it's shipped out to a landfill. That's the way Amato says the trash under the highway should be disposed of. We want an extra step to be environmentally sound and we say that you go through the transfer station and that's our position. The environmental regulations with respect to waste flow were suspended by the governor's executive order the other day. And our goal is to get that material as quickly and cheaply out of the, or out of there as quickly and cheaply as I possibly can. And that's what I'm going to do. Tomorrow both sides will present their case to one appellate court. So will the hub garbage come here to the transfer station? Will the state haul it away? Could it possibly even stay put? Stay tuned. Trish de Gasper is New Jersey Network News, Newark. After two delays for bad weather, 100 minimum security inmates of the Hudson County jail.

Today moved into their new quarters, a cluster of tents. And most of them were saying that even with all the mud, it's better than the tents overcrowded confines of the jail. But the judge who ordered the move still isn't satisfied. Scott Moniac reports from Sikakis. The prisoner transfer began around 830 this morning. And since the minimum security inmates had to be interviewed and chosen to join the state's first prison camp out, the overall morale was enthusiastic. It's better than being caged up. At least you got a little bit more freedom. It's not going to be crowded anymore. It's probably going to have better food, better atmosphere, people I know all the people from the other place. So it's going to be a lot better than what it was down in. Inmates who boldly say they aren't afraid of anything or anybody describe the ongoing overcrowded situation at the Hudson County jail as dangerous and life threatening. They take your stuff off of you and you can't fight them because they've been in this long. They're too healthy and too big for you to fight. So you just got to hold back and let it happen.

Many of the minimum security inmates arriving here will have completed their sentences in a matter of days or weeks. So the prisoners say it wouldn't be worth it trying to escape because it can cost them an additional three to five years. I got four more days. I'll be doing three to five if I leave. Now you look. I don't think they might have run. It's not worth it. You run this five years. Most people here got no two more weeks. In corrections department workers started preparing this tent city the end of last week their efforts were hampered by heavy rains. Now that the prisoners are here and the sun is out the wet ground is creating unusually high humidity which has intensified the mosquito problem. We have had an exterminator in here last night from one to five and they completely processed the area and they will be doing that on a regular basis. Although 100 prisoners have checked into the tent jail the majority came from the Sikaka Xanax which will now receive 63 inmates from the more troubled Jersey City facility. At a hearing this afternoon however, Judge Humphrey said the state has not complied with

his order until 100 inmates have been removed from the Hudson County jail in Jersey City. But corrections department officials say that process is already in the works. I believe right now some of the people from the Department of Corrections are assisting the county identifying inmates that could possibly be removed from one location to the other. In the meantime only two inmates have put up any resistance to the transfer and they'll be quickly replaced. What's still unknown is where the remaining money for the tent jail will come from and where the prisoners will go after their 30 day camp out. Scott Moniac, New Jersey Network News, Sikaka. In October trial date has been set for the West Orange teenager charged with murder and aggravated sexual assault in the death of his mother last March. 16-year-old Jamie Loftus has been free on bail since June. The Seton Hall Prep student has been working and taking a course at the school this summer. Loftus allegedly strangled his mother in her bedroom and then fled with food, money, and his dog in the family car to Pennsylvania.

There, he was picked up by authorities. Complaints continue to pour in today from parents as state investigators interviewed children from camp Kaya Misha. The New York Run Sussex County camp was closed yesterday amid allegations of filth, neglect, and abuse. Today, as Marie DeNoire reports, some youngsters described what they called bloody battles, fights allegedly encouraged by camp counselors. It was the state division of youth and family services that advised Sharon Middleton to send her son's Monty and Tori to camp Kaya Misha. But despite the state's recommendation, Middleton's boys came home with horror stories. State-year-old Monty came home with more than stories. The first thing I noticed that he had it infected on, it was inflamed, it was hot to touch, and he had pulsarated areas. The minute I touched his arm, not even a soft touch, there were oozing wounds. And on Monty's back, the unmistakable punctures of a human bite, Battlescar says Monty, from a fight counselors, had encouraged.

We were fighting, we were dragging on the floor, and punching each other, and he beat me on my back. And what was the counselor doing while this was happening? You were saying, cap him in a jar, punch him in his face, punch him in his stomach. Both boys described the fighting as a regular practice at camp. Whenever there was a disagreement between kids, counselors would allegedly put them in the ripple room and direct them to fight it out. Middleton took her son's home over the weekend, reported the incident to Diffus, which has asked the Attorney General's Office to investigate. Yesterday, all of Kaya Misha's campers packed it in. The State Health Department ordered it close down because of unsanitary conditions and reports of counselors failing to keep order. The camp is run by the Newark Area YMWCA, officials there say Kaya Misha got a clean bill of help from the State last week.

We did the best we could in terms of maintaining the facilities, despite dealing with situations where kids may not be ready to actually venture out away from home to that type of environment. Today, officials at the Attorney General's Office confirmed they are investigating Middleton's allegations, but say they don't expect to file criminal charges. At least, not now. Marie DeNoia, New Jersey Network News, Newark. Coming up, the average New Jersey worker saw a solid wage increase last year, but is it all good news? Jim has the answer. And Bill Bradley prepares for re-election next year by walking the entire New Jersey shoreline. We'll be right back. Calling it the beginning of a new era in environmental protection, Governor Cain today announced plans

to stop pollution before it starts. The proposal calls for a new DEP Office of Pollution Prevention to make it worthwhile for industry to create less toxic waste in the first place. Larry Stoopnagle has the story. Governor Cain said New Jersey will try to stop the hazardous waste disposal problem in the state by encouraging industry to use less hazardous materials in its manufacturing methods and recycle the waste it does produce. We plan to do is a difference between prescribing medication for high blood pressure or angina and putting someone on a healthy diet. We're talking about preventive medicine, but preventive medicine for our environment. Cain's prescription calls for the creation of an Office of Pollution Prevention within the Department of Environmental Protection. This is starting a new era for DEP.

And I'd emphasize though that in starting a new era, we're not throwing out the old. This is not a revolutionary step, indeed, it's an evolutionary step. Daggett signed an administrative order establishing the office today. It will offer industry less regulatory red tape in exchange for less hazardous waste. Our new policy will streamline industries and environmental permits. But in order to pass musta, they now must show us an aggressive plan for cutting down on pollution. But as of yet, there are no long-range waste reduction goals. What we wanted to do is look industry by industry and try to determine what's possible and then start to develop some of those kinds of numbers as we go along. But to go for an overall goal, I don't think necessarily is the way to go. The initial reaction to the plan was positive, both environmental and industry groups endorsed it. Our immediate reaction is positive. We think this is an effort that should be applauded on the part of Governor Cain and Commissioner Daggett. Well, I think it's great.

I think it's a good step in the right direction. Certainly, over the years, something we've been advocating, I think, all environmental groups have been advocating, that we start dealing with a holistic approach and we start dealing with source reductions. Larry Stoopnig, O'Jersey Network News, The State House. He calls it a walking town meeting. All this week, Senator Bill Bradley is walking the beaches of every town along the Jersey Shore to check on the water and find out what's on people's minds. Michael Aaron walked with him today. Bill Bradley has walked the shore many times before, but never the entire shore for five days in a row. Is this work or fun? It's both. It's a way of keeping promises, first of all. I said in 84 when I ran for reelection that I would be accessible and listen to people. And this is a way of listening, walking along the beach, saying hello to them, saying what's on their mind. Second, it's a way for me to check on the quality of the water and the quality of the beaches. And third, it is fun.

I mean, let's say, I mean, walking the shore, you know, you couldn't do this if you were a senator from Montana. People here, Bradley says, want to talk about the economy, the schools, but mainly about the ocean. I think the ocean is really good. You know, I bring our family to the Jersey Shore in the summertime and we were here for three weeks this summer and swam in the ocean every day and it was great. All the anecdotal evidence so far in this walk throughout along the whole coast is that the water is great. The beaches are clean. I'm not here. Let me do it on your mind. The whole? No. That's it. Okay. Is that help? Bradley is up for re-election in 1990. No opponent has stepped forward and Republican Governor Kane recently said Democratic Senator Bradley is unbeatable. So people are wondering why Bradley plans to raise the record sum of $9 million. The Frank Loutenberg needed $8 million for the race of his life. Why do you need $9 million? Well, you always have to be prepared. You can never tell what's going to be thrown at you in the world we live in now and you

have to be ready for whatever is there. And I would much rather be prepared than not then be caught short. Does the size of the war chest have some symbolic importance as well as practical importance? Is it important to show that you can raise a lot of money? I don't think so Michael. I mean it's got very practical importance and that is look I end up being a collector for television stations. I collect the money from contributors and give it to television stations. That's what modern politics is all about. It's a shame that that's the way it is. How important is it that you win big next year and not just win? I've always felt that if you won the World Championship by a point you were still the World Champion. Bradley denied having any national ambitions but if you walked along the beach you could overhear parents say to their children, want to meet a future president of the United States. Michael Aaron, New Jersey Network News, Ship Bottom. Now I don't want to call Jim Van Sickle a killjoy but whenever something good comes along in the business reporting always manages to throw a little cold water on. How can you say that?

It's not me. It's them. Now one thing about economics is it's basic contradictions like the economy is booming. Sounds like good news. Well yeah, but a booming economy means a tight labor market, tight productive facilities, demand for goods out running capacity. So what do we make of this news? New Jersey workers saw their wages go up by an average 8 percent last year, biggest increase in 1982, great, right? Nothing like arrays to make us happy but is New Jersey pricing itself out of the action? Surely gets, keeps track of these things, acknowledges that construction is soft unemployment rising in that sector and if generally rising wages are not matched by demand and productivity, New Jersey could be in trouble. But I don't think we're in that much trouble. Certainly not the trouble that we saw in 1975 when we had double digit unemployment and when our trust fund went belly up. So everything is relative, no we're not booming anymore but still there are a lot of jobs out there and unemployment is low even with the easing in the economy.

She noted that when federal expert Aaron Hall made dire predictions for the region recently he noted that Northern New Jersey is still going strong. Speaking of the workforce, many concerns that the schools for instance, especially in the inner cities are not turning out work ready young people and with manufacturing disappearing, where are the entry level jobs that teach the fundamentals of a productive life? Well, enter the broom as teacher, Newark, 30 kids who work, cleaning up military part. Part of a program financed by United Way and Anheuser Bush. This program is a work program, the summer employment program that is to help keep Newark beautiful as a city it is but is also to provide some important things and we would like to start for children or teenagers real early meaning certain work ethics and also to expose them to certain things that they haven't been exposed to yet. The broom's are not the exciting part of the program but the work aspect does require showing up on time and they learn responsibilities.

Each week we have a program where people of the community come to talk about their professional and personal experiences. We talk to them about things they need to know about drug prevention, age prevention so it has a multi level for them but it also builds up their self-esteem. If I've learned that you know you have to help any way you can even know if you're not as disadvantaged as other people you still have to participate to make them aware. And along with three days a week productive work the kids get trips, West Point, the stock exchange, glimpses of the bigger world out there. Operation Bright Side they call it a demonstration that people can keep a clean city and with classes and field trips kids can get a better handle on life. The market well nothing to write home about industrial production of a mite about is expected which along with a minute blip up for housing construction some of the gurus guessing that the soft landing remains in place. Meanwhile a slight drop 6-10% in consumer goods may indicate a certain weariness out there.

Bond's strong long bond up half point mostly short covering they say while we wait for the trade in consumer price reports tomorrow and on Friday. All right Jim we're looking forward to that thank you. The candidates for governor today both trotted out new endorsements from law enforcement groups and Jim Floreo suggested his opponent Jim quarter is pandering for votes with his emphasis on the death penalty. Democrat Floreo was in Trenton today alongside Senate President John Russo. Russo wrote the state's current capital punishment law it has resulted in not one execution. Congressman Floreo said he's not soft on murderers but that police officers are less concerned about the death penalty than with military style firepower in the hands of criminals. The state's proposed ban on assault weapons is stalled in the Republican control assembly. I want the assembly to move on that. Senator Russo wants it governor Kane the attorney general of the state of New Jersey all 21 of the prosecutors in every legitimate law enforcement official that I know Jim

quarter does not. Floreo was endorsed by three police groups in Mercer County including a black organization the brother officer is law enforcement society. Republican quarter meanwhile was in Newark picking up the support of the Hispanic law enforcement society of Essex County and saying he too is against assault weapons. In fact I support President Bush's ban on the importation of assault weapons I strongly support as well placing a ban on weapons that serve no other purpose than to kill individuals assault weapons but I do oppose supporting a piece of flawed legislation that is inconsistent. The quarter said it's actually Floreo who is pandering for votes standing against the National Rifle Association after years of accepting NRA contributions. In a moment a lunar eclipse tonight will have a preview and a viewing forecast.

And in sports Pat takes us behind the scenes at Ray Mercer's heavy wake fight stay with us for the start. Well keep your fingers crossed if it stays clear tonight you'll get to see a free sky show

courtesy the earth and the moon science and health correspondent Mark Levinson reports. Maybe the song should be earth shadow in tonight's total lunar eclipse it'll be the earth shadow following the moon. Princeton University astronomers say the earth passes between the sun and the moon every few years the lunar eclipse is a celestial phenomenon but one that gives science nothing but a free sky show in fact it's open house tonight at the university's telescope. But two thousand years ago a lunar eclipse gave Aristotle a controversial idea. Aristotle noticed in particular that the shadow of the earth was always round so from this he deduced that the earth was spherical because the sphere is the only thing that always

produces a round shadow. Now you don't need a telescope to see a lunar eclipse you just have to look out your own backyard but the most spectacular viewing of a lunar eclipse may have to wait another 20 years or so because the best place to be to see a lunar eclipse is when you're standing on the moon itself. If you have a base on the moon a lunar eclipse would be very spectacular to observe from the moon because you would see the earth completely block out the sun. Now if you were on the moon there'd be no clouds like there might be on earth tonight to obstruct your view. If that happens your next chance will be 1992 when our world again becomes the moon's shadow. Yes I'm being followed by a moon shadow, moon shadow. Mark Levinson, New Jersey Network News. All right let's talk about our chances of actually seeing that eclipse. The forecast calls for a lingering shower early in the evening but the sky is just might clear in time for the sun, earth and moon to put on their show.

Some youngsters were putting on a show of their own today at the ship bottom picture perfect weather at the shore. Most of the garden state got no rain but one young surfer accidentally splashed our camera man and of course she apologized. Sorry let's check current conditions hazy all over New York reports 84 degrees after high of 87 Trenton 81 Atlantic City 79. The forecast night and early shower then clearing and a little cooler low temperatures ranging from 60 north to 70 south tomorrow partly sunny and less humid. The highs between 78 and 87 Friday sunny and warm highs between 80 and 88 not bad. We move next to sports with Pat. All right Kent Yankee out filter Luis Polonia was arrested today in Milwaukee in connection with a second degree sexual assault charge involving a 15 year old girl. Polonia was being held in Milwaukee jail and a not been charged as of mid afternoon. The Yankees are in town to play the Brewers. And this afternoon the Brewers beat the Yankees 5 one Charlie O'Brien at two RBI singles.

This one drove in Greg Brock in a three run first from Milwaukee as they got to Walter and Yankees have now dropped three straight to Milwaukee and have lost four of the last five. Well tonight the Phillies try to make it two in a row against the Dodgers while the Mets host San Diego. New York one last night in dramatic fashion three two they remain three and a half games out of first. In boxing last night undefeated heavyweight Ray Mercer stopped Tracy Thomas in the first round at South Mountain Arena. Let's go into the dressing room where Mercer had his most rigorous workout of the night. It's 25 minutes to fight time and the US Olympic heavyweight champion begins to warm up for his seventh professional bout. The setting is hardly glamorous but the shower room gives conditioning coach Tim Ryan an assistant trainer Bruce Flair ample room as Mercer begins to loosen up. Really what we want to do is just get him to break a light sweat so that you know we increase all the blood flow to you know his major muscle groups.

So primarily he's doing some light calisthenic work and concentrating on some like boxing technique for him. It's Blair's job to take Mercer's best shine. Fight time is less than ten minutes away. I'm just trying to get him warm and I'm trying to get him to turn his punches over and bend his hips and turn and so on. You can feel those punches all the way down to your heel by the way. By the time trainer Hank Johnson arrived Mercer was loose in body and spirit. Mercer was ready and it's no wonder Tracy Thomas was unable to survive the first round. As Mercer continues his quest toward Mike Tyson. I'm trying to get a new job is changing names and I'm trying to change Mike Tyson name and anybody's name is trying to get my way. First name will be Canvas and the last name will be back, guaranteed. By the way Tyson wants Razor, Ruddick and Buster Doug was next.

Well Trent and St. Basketball stand out great grand as again proving the people that size isn't everything. Today the 5-7 guard was working with youngsters at the McCorston basketball camp. The second round draft pick of the Phoenix Suns is just back from a rookie league where he had 51 points in one game. That was a performance that left Greg and the Suns coaches smiling. You do it on Division 3, it seemed great and especially people around here knew I can do it. But you do it in a rookie pro league, it felt even better because I would improve that I can score and pass the ball and play great defense all in one game. As always the question was Grant's size. If he can't guard anyone, if they just take him wherever they want to go and shoot over him and he can't do anything about it, then that's something that will be pretty hard overcome. But so far he's compensated by picking his man up full court and being a pest and I haven't seen people take advantage of him yet at all. Now I'm told that Grant has done so well at that camp that other NBA teams have been

acquired. If Phoenix doesn't want him, they do, they're talking about draft picks for him. And actually in two games he had 81 points. Oh, phenomenal. Yeah, well you go, that's all for this evening, I'm Phil Bremming. And I'm Kent Maddahan from all of us here at New Jersey Network News, thank you for being with us. See you tomorrow. Good night. This has been a presentation of New Jersey Network. Jerry Hennie, New Jersey Network News, New Brontics. The Atlantic City racetrack may soon be sold, the owner has...